Lost Ones
by Lass Luna
Summary: Once upon a time, there was a Captain and a Lieutenant on a mission for a corrupt king. It left one dead and turned the other into a fearsome pirate Captain. But this is not that time, nor that place. This is the time of a pirate captain and his little brother and a betrayal hidden by magic, but perhaps, like all stories, there is more to this tale than meets the eye.
1. Chapter 1

**Lost Ones Sneak Peak:**

Killian doesn't realize he dozed off until he feels Emma's hand on his back rubbing slow gentle circles and her hair tickling his cheek as his head rests on her shoulder. He can hear her humming to him, something nice and soothing.

He keeps his eyes shut and his breathing as level as possible to keep Emma close. But it isn't long before he hears Lily and Henry's voices and feels Emma slowly ease herself up from beside him. He "startled" awake.

Emma doesn't even look back at him. She is busy comforting Lily over whatever happened after he'd dozed off. Killian feels guilty for his inability to stay awake long enough to hear the report.

"A beanstalk?" he hears Henry echo, bringing his attention back to the conversation. "Cool!" the boy exclaims. "Do we get to chop it down when we're done?"

From what Killian gathers whatever they are looking for is at the top of one.

Of course, he knows it won't be that simple.

Lily chuckles at Henry, rubbing his hair affectionately. Henry audibly sighs in frustration, attempting to shoo his mother's hand away. It doesn't seem to work.

"I only have enough magic for two," Aurora says sadly. "I wish I could help more."

Lily looks at Aurora nervously, as if she isn't sure how to respond. "Thank you, Aurora! Any help is much appreciated." At least it's civil.

"I guess Emma and I will be doing some climbing," Elsa chimes in.

"How do you figure that?" Lily replies. "What makes you think I want to sit this one out?"

Elsa takes a step forward. "You really trust us enough to leave your brat with me and your dear sister?"

Lily's grip on Henry tightens. "Are you threatening my son?" she snaps. "Because if you are, then who's climbing that beanstalk will be the least of your worries."

Killian can feel her anger intensifying. He stands suddenly, sauntering over and snatching one of the leather cuffs off the table before anyone can stop him.

"Killian –" Emma tries to stop him. She wants to dissuade him from fighting, from fighting to save his own damn life. He knows she's trying to protect him, but right now he doesn't want her protection.

"You want me to fight for my life, Swan? Well this is me fighting. I'm climbing the bloody beanstalk," he snaps. "If you want this cuff, you're going to have to cut off my hand to get it."

Everyone save Elsa looks quietly uneasy with his proclamation. The Ice Queen has no problem voicing what the rest are thinking.

"Aren't you worried you'll fall off? That you'll wear out your pitiful form and drop dead?" Elsa says bluntly. "We all know you didn't decided to take a little nap while Lily was dealing with her sibling issues."

"It's my life. No one is more determined than I am."

Emma crosses her arms and steps forward, green eyes blazing. "Except for me."

 _Now she cares?_

He meets her gaze evenly. "Then I guess we're in agreement, love. You and I will face whatever the hell is up there," he declares, before lowering his voice so only she can hear. "And you can tell me what's going on with you." Because something was going on with her and he refused to be kept in the dark.

She glares at him before snatching the other cuff. "Then we better get going."

XXX

"Still think you can handle it?" Elsa mocks as Killian stands beneath the towering monster of a plant. The beanstalk stretches out for miles above them, making him swallow thickly at the thought of climbing that high. It looks like he could climb forever and still not reach the top.

"Bloody hell," he can't help but curse.

"That's what the cuffs are for," Aurora offers. "The stalk is enchanted to shake you off, but as long as you're wearing those, you'll repel the enchantment."

"Or maybe they'll get us high enough up that we'll make craters when they inevitably fail," Emma hisses at her.

Aurora doesn't flinch. "Those will get you where you need to go." She looks over at Killian. "He doesn't have the time for you to mistrust me."

Killian nods. "I believe her," he tells Emma. "Besides, you can just transport us to the ground if needed right?"

Emma agrees

."Look who's paying attention," Elsa teases.

Killian rolls his eyes. "We better get climbing." he insists.

Emma nods and approaches the beanstalk, considering exactly how to start. She grabs a handful of leaves and pulls. It seems steady enough, and heaves herself up to a foothold a few feet off the ground. Killian takes a shaky breath and begins to climb as well. It's rough going for him at first. He keeps pulling on weak leaves and losing his footing. Emma has to slow her pace as she watches him struggle. But after a few precarious minutes, Killian gets into the rhythm enough to keep a steady pace.

Through it all, Emma doesn't say a word. It's unsettling. "Most would take your silence as off putting, but I love a challenge," he says, catching her gaze to throw her a smirk.

"Concentrating," she mutters, turning her face away from him.

"You're afraid to talk, to reveal yourself," he observes. "But I don't need you to talk. after all we've been through together, you're an open book to me."

That earns him a crack of a smile. "Am I?"

He nods. She is. "Something is troubling you. You're afraid to trust me," he responds, moving himself closer to her as he climbs. "You think pushing me away will make things better, but I promise you, it won't." He thought they were past this already. He thought they both realized this during their time at the Merry Men Camp. "It's proven to only make everything worse."

She considers her response for a minute before answering him coldly, "I thought you were used to people not trusting you."

"Ah yes, the deckhand thing," he says evenly, hoisting himself up a little faster to keep her from pulling too far ahead in an attempt to escape the conversation. "But I don't think it's me you've lost your faith in, Swan. It's yourself."

She stops cold, frozen in an awkward hold on the beanstalk.

Killian knows he hit the nail right on the head. "My mother said something, didn't she? She always had a knack for finding people's weaknesses and hitting them where it hurts the most," he explains.."First time Eric met her, he came back so rattled that he almost quit his job on the Jewel to buy a sheep farm. Please don't let her make you doubt yourself."

Emma looks at him, her expression softening for the first time in awhile. "What if she's right?" she whispers.

"Right about what?" He asks, getting closer to her now that she's stopped climbing. "Let me in, Swan."

"That I'll suck you into the darkness with me," she says after a long pause.

"Sw –" he cuts off when he hears a sickening creak and sees Emma's eyes go wide. The branch she's holding starts to snap and she is moments from _falling._ Everything seems to move in slow motion before Killian's eyes.

 _Hell no._

He swings over, grabbing her hand. He's yanked down as gravity tries to take her from him, but he doesn't let go.

"Killian!" Emma yells. He takes a few quick breaths to gather his strength, then hauls her up and against him. He pins her to the stalk with his body, one hand on her shoulder to hold her in place.. She breathes heavily against him, holding on to him tightly.

 _Bloody hell!_ She's safe. And now he's got her where he wants her for what he needs to say. He has no intention of letting her go. Right here, or ever.

 _He loves her._

"Emma Swan, when we first met, you asked me what I wanted, and I couldn't answer you, I was a fool and a coward, but even then you had me enchanted. Well let me make it clear now if it wasn't clear before, I want you. I want the Dark Swan, I want Princess Leia, and I want just Emma. I'm a fan of every part of you." He watches her walls crumble at his declaration.

"And I'm a fan of you," she says softly, hand reaching up to his neck, just where he can feel the throbbing of his poison. "I don't want to lose you, to this, to darkness. I can't."

He smirks. "Then don't. Don't shut me out. Don't let doubt get in the way."

Emma sighs and rests her head on his shoulder, as if she's giving into some long-resisted temptation. He kisses the top of her head. He's giving in to the very same vice. He waited as long as he could bear, but his body was starting to ache. He was dying after all.

"As much as I adore having you pinned to this stalk, love, my arm's starting to hurt."

Her eyes flash open as she remembers where they are. She finds a handhold to support herself, freeing him to use both arms to hold himself up.

"Thanks for catching me," she murmurs.

"Anything for you," he replies with a wink, helping lighten the mood.

With a deep breath and a toss of her hair, Swan regains her usual fire. "Race you to the top!"

"And what does the winner get?" Killian teases.

She looks him over sinfully slowly. "I may have something in mind," she replies, her eyes glimmering.

"Vixen."

* * *

 **I'm back! Although Delayed due to Hurricane Irma...**

 **I thought I'd release a nice sneak peak before I officially start posting the actual chapters.**

 **I now have a beta and we're going through each chapter of Freeing the Witch and The Purple Fairy to clean it up a bit and _finally get it on tumblr_ before I start posting Lost Ones.**

 **Don't forget to review!**

 **~Luna**


	2. Chapter 2

**Three years ago, I found myself staring at an accidentally completed fanfic, and decided to post it because why not. The response I got was amazing. I was so happy to receive it. I really wanted to have this all ready by the anniversary, but life. But here's chapter one. I won't be updating it until I get everything caught up on Ao3, but I really wanted to post this.**

* * *

Chapter 1

A Lost Cause

The first time Killian ever saw the Jolly Roger, he thought the ship was magical. He'd been so excited, rushing about, poking his head into every nook and cranny he could find. It was to be his new home, a home he shared with Liam so he wanted to know everything he could about it.

Liam had laughed when Killian had jumped out from a hidden door to surprise first mate.

Victor had jumped at least a foot, and dropped his glass of rum. Victor's wife had then chastised Victor about drinking it in the first place.

It was always a fond memory for Killian, a happy little family once again. Killian had lost his father earlier that year, spending time on the street begging for scraps before he'd gotten ill and nearly died. Killian had been sure he would perish before his elder brother found him.

Thankfully Liam had found him just in time. So being back with is older brother had felt like a miracle to him. The ship was the embodiment of that miracle.

So to watch Henry do the same thing now, look around at the ship, his ship with wide eyed wonder, more than two decades later, it felt like a breath of fresh air to Killian. It's a clear sign of the new generation beginning its time on her just as he had done.

He even witnessed Henry pop out of the very same secret door to surprise his mother, Lily, during lunch.

Well, Lily was Henry's _adoptive_ mother, but the half fairy loved the boy like he was her own. Emma, Henry's birth mother, had told him that when she was young and pregnant, she decided to give up her child to her best friend. Henry knew about it now and saw them both as his mothers. Killian could see how relaxed Emma is here, not having to pretend to be Henry's aunt or sister. Here on the Jolly they are safe, their secret is safe.

Lily and Henry had recently been split up by some complicated circumstances. (but that was another story) The point was that Lily is over the moon to be spending some time with her son, making up some lost time with the lad.

Killian watches with mild amusement as Lily lectures Henry about scaring her. Henry just grins, shooting his other mother a triumphant smirk at his prank. It appears both mothers and son were making up for lost time; Henry with his pranks, and Lily with her mothering and Emma with encouraging some less than stellar behavior.

Lily must have caught the look passed between Emma and Henry, shooting her a glare that practically screamed 'don't encourage him'. It makes Killian laugh a bit more.

He sincerely doubts Emma cares much in preventing Henry's shenanigans; she is the Dark One after all. A 12 year old's pranks seem a lot less terrible in the grand scheme of things.

He'd met Emma, the Dark Swan, after freeing her from her hidden tower. She'd been locked away by her mother, Queen Snow and Henry had strong armed Killian into agreeing to free the greatest evil in all of the realms, but the second he saw her, Killian knew that she was something special. He didn't trust her at first, but he felt deep down that freeing her was the right choice. They'd been interrupted on their way back to go on a second rescue mission, and Killian was glad they did, during said mission he'd fallen for the Dark One, and she for him.

Months later, here he was, on his ship with Emma is sitting beside him in the common area, munching on a cheese sandwich, smiling innocently at Lily. Henry moves from his spot, talking about wanting to see if there are any other hidden doors on the 'boat'.

"Ship!" Killian can't help but call after him. "The Jolly is a bloody ship!" Emma and Lily snicker in amusement as he sighs. "Well she is!"

The women laugh again. "I know Killian." Emma says, kissing his cheek. "It's a really pretty ship."

Months ago, Killian would never think this would be possible. He'd just been the nervous and bumbling Deckhand of 'the Jewel of the Realm'. His confidence had been all but shattered under the rule of his cruel Captain, he barely knew how to handle a blade and he thought himself unworthy of any lass's affection, much less a lass like Swan. It was only thanks to her that he was here now, his blade hanging confidently at his side, that he could stand up straight, walk with a purpose and be the man he always thought himself incapable of being. He'd won back the 'Jewel of the Realm' and returned her to her proper name, the _Jolly Roger, h_ is brother's ship.

Killian frowns.

His brother, his captain, Liam Jones was the reason they were on this journey, not safe in some nook in the woods. Had things been different, he would be hidden away with Emma, building a home, a future with the woman he loves.

He'd be brave enough to man the courage to tell her so to her face.

"Killian?" Emma says as her grin fads; worry now takes the place where happiness once was. Another thing he blamed on his selfish brother and his choices.

15 years ago, the Killian and his brother had sailed to Neverland in search of a plant called Dreamshade. He'd learned it was a miraculous plant that could cure any magic ailment. Why his brother needed it, Killian did not know, but he'd become so obsessed, so sure of its purpose that even confronted with natives claiming otherwise, he'd infected himself with the poison to prove his theory.

Killian was only 15.

Killian had used the island's magic to save him, but also condemning Liam to Neverland permanently. It was a fate Killian would have accepted, he'd be happy as long as he had Liam.

Unfortunately, Liam thought otherwise, he'd made a dreadful deal instead of accepting their fate. It was a deal where Killian could die in his place the moment he turned 30 years of age, essentially freeing Liam at the cost of his own life.

His own flesh and blood had essentially used him as a sacrificial lamb to protect his own bloody future.

The worse part was that once this deal had been made, Liam had them seal away his memories, leaving him with guilt and regret over losing his brother there, over failing his brother. Killian had idolized his brother every single day of his life. He'd spent the last 15 years trying to rescue him only to learn the horrid truth months before his death, after he'd found love in Emma, a family in her son, after he'd built himself a future, got himself a best friend in a certain Bandit in the Enchanted Forest.

His brother, his captain, his _murderer._

Liam Jones was about to take that away from him. Killian didn't even know if Liam cared at all about him, if he ever cared for him. To say he'd been haunted for a bit over the news would be an understatement.

So now here they were, going back to that dreaded place in an effort to find a cure for him. It is the only way he would survive this nightmare. Killian was trying to have hope; hope that getting to Neverland is even possible under such conditions, but it was so bloody hard. He had already felt the poison churning beneath his skin.

According to Lily's mother, it would deprive him of his every drop of strength until he was dead.

"Are you alright?" Emma asks, touching his face, drawing him back to her. He could see Lily tensing as well, both waiting for him to drop dead.

After all, he had dropped a few times leading up to the voyage.

Thankfully he wouldn't drop dead from a handful of bad memories. He still had some time.

"Fine Swan." He says, meeting her gaze. Killian is running on borrowed time having realized that Lily's Light Magic borne from her parents' True Love, seemed to slow down the venom a bit, but it was still taking its toll on his body.

He was getting frequent dizzy spells, loss of appetite and pain. It felt like his blood was literally on fire sometimes. Today was a good day, thankfully.

Emma gave him a look of disbelief at his assurance, her arms crossed suspiciously; he just smiled brighter to appease her. He didn't like to worry or make her fret over him. He just wanted to enjoy this time with her and her family for as long as he could.

"Uh uh, you're not fooling anyone." Lily piped up. "Not me, and definitely not Miss I-can-smell-a-lie."

It made Emma smirk in agreement. "Are you ok?" Emma asks again.

Killian sighed, looking between them. "I'm at a disadvantaged between the both of you aren't I?" He says. They didn't answer; they didn't need to as their smirks spoke volumes. Killian sighs once more, trying to think of a more truthful response he could give the pair when they heard a scream. They all tensed, fear of a fight obvious.

After the chaos they've been through of the late, Killian figures a little tension was good. Between Evil Queens, shapeshifting spells and deadly curses, a little caution is to be expected. Thankfully the explanation for the sound came quickly.

"Sorry Aunt Elsa!" Henry shouts.

Three breaths were let out simultaneously.

"Maybe I should go check on him." Lily reasoned after a moment. "I'd hate for Henry to get Elsa angry."

Emma rolled her eyes at Lily's worrying. "Elsa won't hurt him." Emma insists. "She already loves him."

Lily rolls her eyes right back. "Of course, she's his 'Aunt Elsa' now." She says sarcastically. Killian can't help but smirk as the two bicker. "Let's ignore the fact that she's tried to kill _you_ on multiple occasions."

Emma's arms crossed, staring at the brunette defiantly. " _Please_ , she knew she could never kill me, it was how we show each other we care." She explains as if it was the most reasonable thing she'd ever heard.

"That makes me feel so much better." Lily adds, standing up. "I'm going to go check on him anyway, just in case the Icecube is overcome with caring about our son."

Emma huffs in annoyance when Lily left the room, leaning into him a tad.

"Can you believe her?" She asks in exasperation. Killian nodds.

"As much as I would like to take your side love, I don't exactly have complete faith in the Ice Queen." He says carefully. He recalled his initial meeting with the dangerous lass. He'd been minding his own business on their way back to port when the Ice Witch had appeared in a gust of snowflakes, ripping out his heart before he had even a second to collect his thoughts.

Having your heart man-handled was not a pleasant experience.

"She gave it back." Emma reminds him.

"You took it back." Killian corrects. "After she tried to blackmail you into rescuing her aunt, _then_ when you let her think you killed Hans, she tried to kill _you_. She would have killed me had Anna not convinced her otherwise." Killian lists.

It had been quite the adventure.

Killian didn't exactly understand why the Ice Witch was here now. Elsa was the type never to do anything without an ulterior motive. Killian just couldn't find an ulterior motive in saving his sorry arse.

He is a lost cause anyway. Having her here when he was about to be very vulnerable made him a tad nervous.

"She's my sister." Emma insists. "I _needed_ her." She whispers. "And now she's here, she's here to help us get there and to freeze anyone who get in our way. I need someone else here who would stop at nothing to save you to watch my back." Killian nods. He understands where she is coming from.

Having your sister on your side was always a blessing.

Seeing Emma's empty plate, the former Deckhand in him drove him to move to clear it. A ship had to always remain clean and organized after all, whether it be a Navy vessel or a pirate ship.

"Neat freak." Emma teases. "When you're done, how about we make sure they aren't killing each other?" She asks, pointing upwards towards the deck. Killian nods as he finishes clearing quickly and offers Emma a hand to get up from her seat.

"Always a gentleman." Emma notes as she tucks her arm with his and they venture back up to the deck. Henry approaches them the instant they arrive, shoving a piece of parchment into Killian's empty hand with an excited grin.

Killian is also grinning as he scanned the writing, watching Henry's eyes light up. He'd started to give Henry lessons in navigating the day before, as he was the brightest person on this ship. Killian was confident that if anyone could handle the responsibility he could.

Killian had feared that if he indeed perished despite their best efforts, the three lasses and Henry would wind up stranded or lost. He did not want that to happen. Judging by the practice course he'd set Henry to do for practice, he was picking it up quite well.

"Good work, only thing is you didn't take into account the change in wind that would occur after noon in these lands." He said pointing to the spot. "You'd need to change your directions a tad right around here."

Henry nods, a dozen questions seconds from overflowing. "I'll explain in a moment, but first I have to check the Jolly's course alright?" The boy nodded, zipping off towards the table on the deck. Swan had taken off, leaving Killian curious as to where she'd gone.

He spotted the three of them gathered towards the side of the ship talking quietly. It vaguely resembled a mother scolding her children about getting along.

Killian shrugs, deciding to leave them to their own business, taking his spot at the helm. He pulled them tighter a bit to increase speed as the wind had changed. Once they crossed into Arendelle oceans, the salty air wouldn't be as crisp, and it would get a bit colder. Emma had restocked the Jolly before they left port, so he assumed there were some thicker clothes somewhere aboard the vessel, something that would be useful if they needed to spend a bit of time in the frozen realm.

Once Killian finishes, he remains in his spot, breathing the salty air deeply. It was refreshing. He tries to use it to calm his racing mind, but all he could think about were problems.

According to Emma, they were to go and speak to the Rock Trolls, a gang of evil little cretins that liked to give advice in exchange for gold. The devils apparently always had a knack for giving advice that would be taken poorly and cause bad decisions. Apparently, these trolls had given Elsa's parents bad advice, causing them to lock her in her room from her teens to her early childhood.

(It explained Elsa's poor socialization skills in Killian's opinion)

Emma however, was a wiz with riddles and any and all help would be appreciated.

"Don't fall asleep on me sailor." Emma teases, suddenly standing beside him, knocking him from his thoughts. Killian grinned a bit wider; he listens to her footfalls for a moment before snatching her up and pulling her towards him with a yelp. Eyes open he placed her hands on the helm sternly, body keeping her pressed against it.

"Ready for your first lesson?" He askes her, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. She nodded happily.

"What do you have in mind Captain?" She teases. "Should we send the children below deck?" Killian chuckled.

"Not that kind of lesson love." He responded with a snicker. "Watch the sails for a moment." He directed, turning the ship towards the wind. The ship stopped dead in its tracks as the sails flapped lamely. "That's not what you want, when the sails are flapping, it's called luffing, they aren't catching the wind and we either slow down or stop." He explained. "When going in the direction of the wind you need to go back and forth or we'll luff." He turned back to where he'd been originally, causing the sails to catch the wind and pick up speed. "In a moment, we'll have to go in the opposite direction, like a zigzag." Emma nods happily. "You'll see when you're doing this yourself." He murmured into her ear before placing a kiss to her neck.

Emma laughs and turned in his hold, eyes locked on his. "Think I'm going to mutiny Captain?" She teases.

"I think I'm dying Swan." He corrects lightly. "I'd like to think you should know what you're doing before that happens, love, give me some peace of mind will you?"

Her grin droppes. "Killian…" She complains. "You're not going to die." She doesn't like it when he talks of his fate. Emma is utterly determined to defy it, because when Emma finds something she wants, nothing can stop her from getting it. Killian is just lucky that it was him she had her sights set on.

 _His stubborn lass._

Killian shakes the thought away.

"I have to be realistic love." He says. "And this isn't me giving up, it's me ensuring you can handle the Jolly if I'm unwell or too bloody exhausted to do so myself. Besides, I rather like teaching you, love." He glances back at Henry, scribbling away on his work, biting his lip in the mirror image of Swan. "Both of you."

Emma nodes. "I like it too." She admites, "But you're not going to die." She insistes. "Tell me you believe that."

Killian hesitated. "I'm not going to give up." He said instead. "I told you I would fight, and that's what I'm going to do, but I'm also insisting on you knowing how to do this on the off chance that it's too late."

Emma pouts, causing him to end the depressing conversation by kissing her gently. Judging by the way her hands grabs his jacket and kissed him back just as gently, it worked. She sighs against him, head falling onto his shoulders. "I don't want to lose you." She whispers so softly, He isn't sure he was supposed to hear.

" _Gah! I can't believe you just did that_!" They hear a voice snap.

 _"What? I_ told _you to stay out of my personal space._ " A second voice answers nonchalantly.

" _If this ship wasn't wooden, I'd_ burn you _to a crisp!"_

" _You could try_ lizard."

Killian and Emma broke apart with a sigh. They looked up; Elsa was sitting in another of her self-created ice chairs, Lily was standing nearby, it looked like she'd fallen head first into a patch of snow, her hair was frozen in odd angels as she seethed with anger. Killian swore that the ice was melting from the pure heat of her rage.

"Swan, you should probably…" Killian starts uncertainly, it looked like they had mere moment before a fight broke out.

Emma sighs again in exasperation, before poofing in front of the two. Killian could just make out the sound of angry whispers from all three, the two pointing fingers he assumes. It makes him chuckle.

This little group of misfits reminded him so much of the crew he'd grown up with on the Jolly with his brother, but also they were quite different. It was a good kind of different, had the reason for this been different, Killian knew he'd be truly happy just like this.

When his brother had his crew, he'd take in anyone who'd been mistreated by their homes, offering one here in exchange for loyalty and respect. Killian took his lessons with Elizabeth, Victor's wife, hearing tales of other realms and just how hard it was to travel between them.

"Alright Henry, let's see what you-" He startes, securing the helm briefly before turning towards where Henry is sitting.

Correction, where Henry _once_ sat. The place he was is no longer occupied. Killian looks around.

"Henry?" He calls curiously. "Where did you go lad?" He says looking around; there wasn't a trace of the boy. He moves to check below deck but he is stopped when he sees movement above him. Killian looks up.

Henry is waving from the crow's nest.

"Henry! Get down from there!" He calls sternly. "Your mothers will kill me if they see!" Killian looked over seeing that no one was even paying any attention. This gave him mere moments to convince the lad to get down before they took notice.

"But you can see everything from up here!" The boy complains. Killian sighs in exasperation, starting his climb up to the boy. He could hardly blame him. As a child, Killian adored the crow's nest. It had been his chosen place to read or hide from Liam.

"There is something out there, in the water!" Henry said, pointing. "Can we check it out?" He asked.

Killian shook his head. "We're in a hurry Henry." He reminded him.

"Please? At least come up and see it. It looks super cool; maybe we can find some treasure? Isn't that what pirates do?"

Another sigh, but seeing the boy's determination, Killian grabs some of the rigging and hauled himself up towards where Henry is with practiced ease. He hadn't been up here since he'd been a lad, but he found it was just as easy. "Move over." He directs, sitting beside him. It felt like this hideaway had shrunken since he'd last been up her. "Let's see what's important enough that they will surely keelhaul us for." He mutters grabbing his spyglass and pointing it at the dark object Henry was pointing at. At first glance, Killian suspected it to be a large rock or perhaps an obscure island.

It wasn't. It was a sinking ship. With a simple twist of the lenses, Killian got a better look at the ship; it looks as if it had been snapped in half by cannon fire, bodies laid in complete disarray, it made him sick with the sheer ruthlessness of it.

 _Pirates_

Killian isn't particularly worried about that honestly, if they suspected pirates had spotted them, Killian could ask Emma to cloak the ship and all would be well.

This poor chap obviously did not have that same luxury. It had to have been a truly bloodthirsty pirate to be willing to kill every living soul on the vessel, a simple fishing boat.

 _A fishing boat. Why would a pirate ship attack a simple fishing boat? They wouldn't have anything valuable other than a fresh supply of food. Unless…_

Killian shook his head, a coincidence, there were hundreds of fishing boats in the water, the likelihood that this boat was Ursula and Eric's was unlikely.

 _Can I really take that chance?_

If it was Ursula's, than the motivation for the massacre made sense, it was odd for a mermaid to associate with humans. They would assume that she'd cast her spell on them. Sailors were notorious for their superstition.

 _Bloody hell! This is why I told you to be careful!_ He curses silently. _This is why I didn't want you hanging around too close._ He'd had far too many fights with his little sister to prevent something _just like this!_

Killian sighs, capping the spyglass and turning towards Henry.

It was quite possible that this was all paranoia. Ursula was clever; she wouldn't be caught so easily. For all Killian knew, this was just a group of terrible pirates with no sense of honor.

"Alright, I'll maneuver the ship for a closer look alright lad?" He asks. "But you're going to go below decks when we get close and I will tell you everything that we find alright?" He asked.

"But-" Henry tried.

"It's a ship that was decimated by pirates, the brutal kind, the ones who do not believe in good form, your mothers would agree." He insists.

Henry sighed. "Fine." His arms crossed in annoyance. "As long as I get a cut of the gold."

Killian ruffled his hair slightly, making him return to looking at him. Henry was indeed a little pirate.

"Now how about we get down before we're discovered eh?" Henry nodes in agreement, but before they could move an inch, they felt themselves enveloped in grey smoke, reappearing on the deck in between an angry Emma and Lily.

"What the hell were you two thinking?!"

* * *

 **A couple notes: My only sailing experience is sailing a boat called a 420, a 20 ft sail boat, so any sailing references will be based on my experience with that. I apologize for any inaccuracies.**

 **This story will be a bit darker in some parts, but I'll try my best to give warnings in the beginning of each chapters and if anyone finds them concerning, feel free to message me and I can give you a summery without the triggering sections.**

 **Thank you NotoriousCS for getting me out of my funk about this story, as well as teaching me more grammar than my high school ever did. This wouldn't be posting at all without you.**

 **Come visit me on tumblr LassLuna.**


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